Derbies: What is wrong with these matches?

What is it about Derby matches that have returned to chippy anti-football matches? Game like today's Liverpool v. Everton match made me think about this. When the schedules are announced, everyone looks forward to these matches, but they rarely please anyone but the victors and even then some of the supporters get annoyed at how chippy and ugly these games often become. Today really seemed more like a war that occasionally had a football rolling through it. So when you see the horrendous play in a match like this involving heated rivalry, why don't we see this as much in the other big ones? The closest thing on the pitch that I can think of is the Nottingham Forest v Derby County match last week which ended up with Derby County's manager allegedly kneeing Forest's Billy Davies. Most times when these derby and rivalry matches come around, though the game may not be great, the real talking points are in the stands. The most obvious example is from the West Ham v. Millwall League Cup match back in August. The violence outside Upton Park as well as the multiple pitch invasions.

What is it that ruins so many derby matches? I think it's a case of trying too hard. It's hard to believe that good teams in some of the best leagues around the world can have some rather ugly games. There is a common idiom about when things don't go your way in sport, you are likely trying too hard. I think this is the case and I believe that's where the ugliness usually comes from. There is hardly any reason to think that foreign players understand long riding animosity between these teams. Why the rivalry is there is not the point, but the players know that a great showing in one of these matches can make them legends.

The one big derby that I believe follows the trying too hard is the Old Firm. Celtic and Rangers, though the last several that I have been fortunate to watch were exciting, are often so frustrating because they do hate each other because these teams are heavily local(or atleast from Scotland). Often these games get relatively out of control and become ugly and chippy. And some of the Old Firm games I have seen make today's Merseyside Derby look like an actual game of football.

In the end, the Derby matches are what keep us excited. I just wish things like the horribly vile chants heard at some of them and the violence between fans stay out of the games. Remember it's still just a game. That means you Carragher. That "tackle" was an incitement.